Welcome to PACO!
At PACO, we work to promote the interests of paralegals, foster relationships with the legal community, serve the public, advocate the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, and endorse the individual missions of PACO and the Columbus Bar Association (CBA).
2009-2010 PACO Oscar Winners
What's New?
The 2010-2011 PACO Board Installation Ceremony will be held on July 22, 2010 at 5:30 P.M. at the Franklin Park Conservatory. Click here to register.Check out what you missed at the May 17, 2010 Extreme Paralegal Makeover Day
The latest edition of The Citator is hot off the presses! Click here to check it out!
Mindi Schaefer is Chair of the Mentoring Committee. Please contact her to become a mentor or mentee. It's time to pay forward what your fellow paralegals have done for you!
Visit our National page to read the latest report and see photos from the 2009 NFPA National Convention
Click here for information you may have missed at recent PACO membership meetings
What is a paralegal?
A paralegal is a person, qualified through education, training, or work experience to perform substantive legal work that requires knowledge of legal concepts and is customarily, but not exclusively, performed by a lawyer. This person may be retained or employed by a lawyer, law office, governmental agency or other entity or may be authorized by administrative, statutory or court authority to perform this work.
Understanding the Nature of Paralegal Work
While lawyers ultimately are responsible for legal work, they often delegate many tasks to paralegals. Paralegals continue to assume tasks in legal offices around the country and perform many of the same tasks as lawyers. However, paralegals are still prohibited from carrying out duties such as: setting legal fees, accepting new clients, giving legal advice, and appearing in court on behalf of an attorney.
Paralegals work in all types of organizations, law firms, corporate legal departments, and various government offices. Within these organizations paralegals can work in many different areas of the law such as: litigation, personal injury, contract law, corporate law, criminal law, employee benefits, insurance law, intellectual property, labor law, bankruptcy, immigration, family law, and real estate. Paralegals work in occupations that require a specialized understanding of the law such as: law clerks, title examiners, claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators.
For more information of the paralegal profession and job opportunities, go to:
- US Department of Labor Information concerning the profession
- American Bar Association Career Information concerning the profession
Paralegal Education Programs in Ohio
If you are interested in becoming a paralegal, please check out the American Bar Association's (ABA) Standing Committee on Paralegals List of Approved Programs. Additional information can also be found by clicking here. Please note that PACO does not endorse any paralegal education program.
Paralegal Canons and Ethical Considerations
Paralegals understand and embrace their commitment to the paralegal profession, as well as their obligation to increase the quality and efficiency of legal services, and uphold their responsibility to the public and the legal community. Please click here to view the paralegal Canons and Ethical Considerations.
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The Citator, our quarterly membership publication that is packed with the
news YOU can use to stay at the top of your game as a paralegal. Click
